May 31, 2001

CHAPEL HILL, N.C.--Following outstanding careers as members of the North Carolina rowing team, three recent graduates have earned academic honors. Kimberlee Dilda, Erin Neppel and Dana Peirce, all part of UNC's varsity eight boat during the spring racing season, have been named National Rowing Scholar-Athletes of the Year by the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association. The three are among 88 Division I rowers honored.

Dilda, a biology major, finished her studies with a cumulative 3.56 grade point average. Neppel, an exercise and sports science major, finished with a 3.63 GPA. Peirce, also a biology major, had a 3.52 GPA. All three received their UNC degrees at graduation ceremonies in May.

Neppel and Peirce were two of four UNC rowers to earn perfect 4.0 grade point averages during the 2001 spring semester, the main competition season for the team. Also making straight A's were sophomore Kara Kerscher and freshman Ginger Jordan. "I think the academic performance of these four women epitomizes what we hope to accomplish," UNC coach Joel Furtek said. "Despite traveling thousands of miles and racing as many as 18 times, all in the space of 11 weeks, these women achieved perfection in the classroom, and encouraged their teammates to do the same. I couldn't be prouder of the them, or of our entire team's performance on the water and in the classroom this year."

Of the 40 student-athletes on the team roster at the end of the season just completed, a total of 15 had GPA's of 3.5 or better during the spring semester and a total of 27 were above 3.0. The team average for the semester was 3.2.

The 2001 Carolina rowing team includes six Morehead Scholars, recipients of the most prestigious merit scholarship awarded at UNC. In addition to Peirce on the varsity squad, they are novice squad members Kim Baxter, Leslie Bone, Tara Lynn, Mollie Silver and Mary White.